The internet provides new possibilities for interaction, communication and decision support which are particularly interesting for environmental
decision making where visualization, value trade-offs and distributed geographic locations are typical. These characteristics represent drivers for
the need of electronic support and the web in participation.

The workshop will review the needs, possibilities, experiences and applicability of decision and communication models in internet
supported participation methods.
Our special focus will be participation methods which include the use of decision support tools. Behavioural issues as well as GIS will also be
considered. The expected participants include researchers in decision modelling, decision support, participation methods and GIS as well as practitioners in
environmental policy and management.

Workshop goals

Earlier literature on participation methods describes ways to gain acceptance of the stakeholders and to generate citizens a fair process. How
can these goals be reached when using the new electronic opportunities? This is the main topic of the workshop. We hope to review the state of the
art of this field and generate ideas for new approaches based on e-participation. The aim is to create a forum for interdisciplinary exchange of
ideas and outline an agenda for future research. The possibility of editing a book or a focused special issue in a journal based on the papers
presented is being considered.

Topics

The topics listed are representative areas of interest for the workshop

The accommodation on the ship and hotel as well as meals during the workshop are free for the speakers. The number of presentations in the
workshops will be limited. There will also be a possibility to present research results by posters. Doctoral students and practitioners are also
encouraged to participate. Non-speaker participants have to cover their hotel (~ 110 euros/night) and conference ship costs. The ship package
includes all meals and will cost 355 Euros in a single cabin, 220 Euros in a double cabin and 184 Euros in a triple cabin. Registration info will be
sent later to the accepted participants. The workshop website is http://www.ted.tkk.fi/ .

Intensive courses

There will be pre and post workshop intensive courses for doctoral students. The lectures will be given by Professors Ortwin Renn (May 16 - 19) and Emery Roe (May 26 - 27). The courses are open to everybody but priority is given to full time
doctoral students. For details see the web-pages:
http://www.sal.tkk.fi/Opinnot/Mat-2.136.
For practical arrangements
contact Mr Totti Könnölä at SAL/HUT.